Chapter 96

Chapter 96

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 96: Chasing After You (6).

Rustila had always believed she had no rivals for Aidel’s affection. Sonia, being an android, and Ceti, his sister, hardly counted as competition. Confident in this belief, Rustila had planned to confess her feelings once they were in college.

However, her plans were disrupted by an unexpected rival—a stray cat.

“Stay away from Aidel,” Rustila demanded coldly.

“Who do you think you are?” Zelnya retorted with a shrug.

“Young master,” Sonia interjected.

The infirmary fell into an uneasy silence.

The tension was abruptly shattered by Aidel, who clutched at his mouth, erupting into a violent cough. “Kolok kolok kolok kolok!”

The room froze in shock.

“Young master!”

“Aidel!” Rustila cried out.

His coughing was relentless, sounding as though it would never cease. Midway through sipping his stew, Aidel’s eyes rolled back, and he slumped over.

“Aidel, Aidel!” Rustila screamed, rushing to his side. Beside her, Sonia stood paralyzed, her eyes wide with shock.

“Get a grip, Aidel!”

“Miss, the IV line!”

“There’s blood… blood is flowing back!”

Zelnya scowled at the unfolding drama but knew they had to address the reverse blood flow immediately.

‘The main IV fluid and antibiotics are depleted. The regulator is open, and air has entered below the flow regulator. I can’t replace the IV bag with my current skills…’

“Bring gauze!” Zelnya decided the only solution was to remove the needle.

She washed her hands as best she could, peeled off the tape, donned gloves, and, with a sterile piece of gauze, carefully withdrew the needle.

“What are you doing?” Rustila asked in a panic.

“Go get the school nurse. Now!”

“Where is she?”

“At the restaurant in the next building!”

With no time to lose, Rustila bolted for the door, driven by the urgency to save Aidel. Her previous confrontation with Zelnya was momentarily forgotten. Her only focus now was Aidel’s safety.

After Rustila departed, Zelnya neatly packed away the lunch basket and placed it aside.

“Hey, wake up,” she prodded Aidel, who had been dramatically rolling his eyes for the past few minutes.

Aidel abruptly stopped, a grin spreading across his face as he sat up, pretending as if nothing unusual had occurred.

“Young master, are you alright?”

“Cough, yes.”

Sonia flopped down. “Just wait until you’re better, then prepare yourself for a serious scolding.”

“Ugh.” Aidel groaned.

Zelnya set aside the stew spoon and began to pack up the rest of the items.

“I can’t stay any longer today.” Something felt off. Zelnya listened to Aidel’s cautious words to return safely and smiled wryly. With that, she headed back to the dormitory.

Thump, thump, thump… Her heart started pounding belatedly, echoing loudly in her ears.

“Haa,” she exhaled sharply. Even though she had quickly realized it was all an act, she nearly got swept up in the moment, almost leaving her as bewildered as the others.

Zelnya reflected on her ability to make accurate judgments while assessing a situation. Though she wasn’t yet specialized and the scenario wasn’t real, the experience profoundly impacted her. It was significant that amidst the general panic, she alone had managed to remain composed and act accordingly.

“This is exciting…” she murmured to herself, a broad smile unwittingly spreading across her face. She was now looking forward with great anticipation to next week’s major experience fair.

Zelnya von Adelwein: 30/1000

[Mental state]

Feeling affectionate towards you.

This guy, what a sudden outburst.

“Young master, why did you pretend to faint earlier?” Sonia asked, her tone laced with dissatisfaction.

“I did it because I didn’t want Rustila and Zelnya to fight.”

“Miss Adelwein has a terrible temperament. She’s not someone you should associate with closely. If she and Miss Rustila want to fight, I say let them.”

I waved my hand dismissively. “Sonia.”

“Yes?”

“If I move on to the graduate course this semester, who will be the top student in our class?”

“Lady Adelwein will take that spot.”

“And how do you think Zelnya will behave if she becomes the top student again under these circumstances?”

“Just like before, I assume.”

“Ceti and Rustila will suffer. No matter what they do, Zelnya will interfere, and if things escalate, she might even lash out at the teachers. With her exceptional skills and her family’s support, she’s likely to push boundaries.”

Sonia sighed deeply and nodded. “At the moment, the only person who can rein in Miss Adelwein is Young Master Aidel. He’s not only in the same class but also significantly more capable.”

“Exactly.”

“And before that, the habit…”

“…will be corrected.”

“Very firmly.” Sonia bowed her head in agreement. “As expected, you have remarkable foresight, young master. Your skills extend beyond research; you have a knack for politics as well.”

“Politics…” I couldn’t help but laugh. My chest hurt as if pierced by thorns, but I brushed it off.

“At this age, I’ve hardly dabbled in politics.”

“Politics is everywhere people are. To lead the Reinhardt family amid its power struggles, mastering the art of personnel management and the science of governance is essential… Ah.”

I waved my hand, signaling the end of that topic.

“Young master, surely.”

“Sonia, do you have any idea how vast our family’s fortune is?”

“I believe it slightly exceeds 200 trillion credits.”

“If we invested all of that, could we construct a graviton bomb?”

“…Probably not.”

“What about 300 trillion?”

“…It still wouldn’t be possible.”

“Then, 500 trillion?”

“…No, that wouldn’t be enough either.”

“Then how much would we need?” I rose from the sickbed, slipping my feet into my slippers. I met Sonia’s gaze; she looked exhausted, unsure of what to do next.

“It would likely require around 1 quadrillion.”

“Really?” I embraced Sonia. Despite being an android, it felt unexpectedly soft and warm.

“Sonia.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Please go on.”

“After I’m gone, relay this conversation to my sister. Tell her to save diligently. And remind her that, as siblings, they should…”

“Aidel?” Rustila chose that moment to return.

“Cough, cough!” In a panic, I clutched Sonia, feigning a collapse.

“Your cough is severe. We need to administer an expectorant and ensure you rest more.” Teacher Tiabel swiftly replaced my IV and handed me some medicine.

Rustila’s eyes were tinged with red. “Where’s Zelnya?”

“She’s gone.”

“Just wait till she returns. I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”

It was clear that it would take some time for Rustila and Zelnya to reconcile. Rustila stayed by my side until dawn, vigilant for any sign of Zelnya’s return. By the end, my stomach was nearly bursting from the sheer volume of the lunchbox she had brought.

The next day, Zelnya visited when Rustila was away.

“Is she gone?” Zelnya peered around cautiously, resembling a wary wolf, before stepping inside. Her basket was laden with various items—medicine, wet towels, and heat packs.

“Since you looked after me, it’s only fair I do the same for you. I’m sure you’re not dumb enough to not understand that.”

[Mental state]

She wants to be with you.

“The bet has already begun. You better be ready.”

[Mental state]

She wants you to recover quickly.

How had things escalated to this point?

Every gesture Zelnya made left Sonia feeling somewhat displaced. Zelnya assumed all the caretaking duties that Sonia felt were hers, from feeding to changing clothes, with a devotion that left no room for Sonia to contribute.

“I have to admit, your nursing skills are quite impressive. I hardly find a moment to step in.”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Zelnya responded.

“Sometimes, a simple ‘thank you’ is more than enough,” I suggested, trying to steer Zelnya towards a softer approach. Much of my advice might be ignored, but hopefully, some would resonate.

“It would help if you were a little more thoughtful with your words.”

“Stop micromanaging me.”

“You’re cute, so just a touch of humility would make you even more likable.”

“I told you to cut out the nonsense, didn’t I?”

“I’m not sure if I should say this, but humility is a virtue.”

“…….”

[Mental state]

Disturbed.

“Ever heard of the phrase ‘seeing the big picture’?”

“Are you ignoring me now?”

[Mental state]

Deeply disturbed.

“If you’ve been tough until now, perhaps it’s time to embrace kindness. Consider the long-term impact on your life. I know it’s not my place, but it’s worth thinking about.”

It was an old-fashioned notion, perhaps, but one that felt necessary.

Zelnya’s meticulous care expedited my recovery. The fever subsided by the second day, though I still dealt with a mild cough, canker sores, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. A slight mental fog persisted but began to clear by the fifth day.

As soon as Dr. Tiabel gave the green light for discharge, Zelnya couldn’t resist gloating.

“I was out in a week; you only lasted five days.”

“So what?”

“I won.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My medical skills are obviously superior. If you’re still considering pre-med, you might want to rethink that. I’ll outperform you there, too.”

“I’m not going, not going.”

“…”

While packing my belongings, curiosity got the better of me. “What’s happening today?”

“It’s the Major Experience Fair, young master,” Sonia replied. “It’s an opportunity for college and graduate students to explore different academic departments.”

“That sounds interesting.”

Exiting the building, I made my way up the hill. The morning air was alive with the hustle of people setting up their tents.

“I heard it’s open all weekend. You can take your time exploring whenever you’re free.”

“Let’s check it out now.”

Sonia and I began our descent.

“The pre-med and engineering departments are already crowded with students.”

“That’s because they offer good job prospects.”

“But that alone can’t fully explain this phenomenon,” Sonia interjected, pointing towards a booth in a secluded corner.

Beneath the sign labeled ‘Department of Physical Astronomy’, a lively group was gathered, deep in conversation.

“Honestly, we feel slighted,” someone confessed.

“What do you mean exactly?” another inquired.

“Didn’t we miss the opportunity to introduce our lab to that student? If they’re interested in cosmology, might they not also be intrigued by our solid theory lab?”

“Student Aidel approached me directly. He was intent on becoming my disciple from the start,” a voice countered.

“That’s merely your perception, Professor. He’s still exploring his options. We ought to introduce him to various fields within physics and allow him to experience different labs.”

“Hey!”

“Professor Frederick has a point. It’s only fair that everyone has a rotation period in the lab.”

The discussion was heating up, yet all the participants seemed oddly familiar. More crucially, there were no students present—only professors.

“By the way, why are professors from other academies here? Student Aidel has already decided to enroll at Stellarium!”

“That assumes he won’t consider different colleges for his graduate studies,” A female professor chimed in with a sly smile, her eyes gleaming with a sharpness that outdid Zelnya’s.

“Professor Stranov, why are you undermining me?”

“Well, Professor Feynman…”

Sensing the tension, I stepped forward to diffuse the situation. Approaching Professor Feynman, I offered a friendly greeting.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Ah, Student Aidel!”

“Young Reinhardt!”

“Student!”

“Student, how is your cold?”

Why did a dozen voices respond when only one person was addressed?

“Professors, what brings you all here?”

“We came because we knew you would be here, Aidel.”

Were they actually waiting for me?

A shiver ran down my spine as I observed them more closely. Their eyes were unsettling—sharp and fierce, like wolves stalking their prey.

“Slurp.”

What was that sound just now?

“Student, I apologize, but we need to discuss something important with you.”

“Go ahead. What is it?”

“Well, the matter at hand is…”